The second-year guard understands this, which is why he spent a considerable amount of time this summer improving his mid-range jumper.

It has looked strong thus far in training camp, but the first real test will come Sunday when Detroit opens its preseason schedule at Miami.

"I'm just trying to get better, that's all," Stuckey said. "I'm trying to improve in all areas of my game."

CHECKING THE PISTONS

Camp competition: The plan coming into the season was to find an adequate backup for Tayshaun Prince at small forward. It seemed no one wanted to step up and take the job at first, but Walter Herrmann has come on strong of late. He arguably was the best player in the team's intra-squad scrimmage at Oakland University on Thursday night.

Courtside view: Coach Michael Curry's practices have pushed the Pistons in ways they haven't experienced in quite some time. "We definitely want to make every drill competitive," Curry said. "When you have a team that has been as successful as this group, you have to mix things up a lot to keep their attention, to keep them challenged."

What's next: The Pistons practice Saturday morning and then travel to Miami for Sunday's exhibition opener.

However, his ability to shoot mid-range jumpers consistently will make him an even tougher player to defend.

"You don't see too many guards that like contact the way he does," Pistons forward Antonio McDyess said. "If he keeps getting better with his mid-range game, teams won't know what to do with him."

Like most rookies, Stuckey finished his first season in the NBA searching for ways to improve.

"I knew shooting the short, mid-range jumper was something I just had to do more often," he said. "It's just another way I can score and help this team get better."

The first signs of Stuckey's improved shooting were on display during summer league in Las Vegas.

"I'm still looking to score going to the basket," Stuckey said at the time. "But if teams are looking for me to drive all the time, that'll open up short, mid-range jumpers for me. And it's on me to knock them down, which I know I can do."

Said Pistons coach Michael Curry: "That's just him maturing his game. I think he has realized that he can't always get to the basket."

It also speaks to Stuckey's ability as a high-scoring guard, which is one of the reasons the Pistons selected him in the first round of the 2007 NBA draft. Stuckey, selected with the 15th overall pick, finished fourth on Eastern Washington's all-time scoring list, averaging more than 24 points per game in each of his two seasons.

"The kid was a big-time scorer in college," Curry said. "So he knows how to score the basketball."

But the NBA is full of players with that ability. Figuring out how to improve that skill is what turns talented players with potential into proven stars.

"When he gets to the point where he can pull up from 12 or 15 feet and he's making those shots like layups, that's going to elevate his game to another level," Curry said.

Wallace misses practice time
Rasheed Wallace did not participate in the last couple of drills Friday due to foot soreness. Curry said Wallace missed the last hour of the team's three-hour practice. "He should be able to practice (Saturday morning), travel, and play Sunday," Curry said.

Starting five to be decided
Curry is yet to decide who will join his four regular starters in the lineup for Sunday's game.

"But we know we have (Antonio McDyess), (Jason Maxiell), or Amir (Johnson) and Kwame (Brown) coming off the bench, along with Stuckey," Curry said. "Those are nine guys right there that we know are going to play. So we'll figure out the rotation and figure out how to get other guys in."